All You Need To Know About Clavicle Fractures
Your clavicle, or “collarbone”, plays an important role in the positioning and function of your arm. It is the main connection of your shoulder girdle to the rest of your body. Because of the collarbone’s length and vulnerable location lying just under the skin of the shoulder, it is often at risk for injury. Clavicle fractures are some of the most common fractures treated by orthopaedic doctors. Of note, the clavicle is the last bone in the body to stop growing – often at up to 25 years of age. As a result of this prolonged growth, the clavicle has excellent healing potential, and most clavicle fractures can be treated non-operatively by simply allowing the bones to mend. However, there are some types of clavicle fractures that are best treated surgically. The clavicle is critical in providing length and contour to the shoulder which allows muscles around the shoulder girdle to function effectively. Fractures that cause significant shortening or mal-alignment of the clavicle can cause weakness in the shoulder or risk of “nonunion” or incomplete healing of the fracture leading to chronic pain.
Risk Factors for Clavicle Fractures
- Falls – either directly on the shoulder or onto an outstretched hand attempting to “break the fall.”
- Direct blow – any forceful blow to the clavicle (i.e. – falling object, lacrosse stick) can cause a fracture due to the little muscle or soft tissue protection to the bone.
- Osteoporosis, or low bone quality
Symptoms of Clavicle Fractures
- Difficulty moving one or both arms. It may be impossible to raise the arm at all and attempts may cause a grinding or crackling noise.
- There may be some pain emanating from the site of the break, even without moving.
- A swollen bump above the site of the break. May be visible beneath skin.
- Swelling and bruising of the clavicle.
- A sagging or hanging shoulder.
Treatment of Clavicle Fractures
- A clavicle fracture is treated differently dependent upon how severe the break is and where it is broken. The clavicle most often breaks cleanly in the middle. This type of fracture usually heals within 6-8 weeks and is treated by:
- Sling to immobilize and support the arm during healing.
- Pain medication to reduce any pain the person is experiencing.
- Ice to limit swelling and help with the pain.
- Physical therapy after healing or towards the end of healing to help regain full motion and strengthen surrounding muscles.
- Surgery is reserved for patients with significant separation of the bone ends, shortening of the bone due to overlap of the fracture ends, and fractures creating multiple pieces. These types of injuries are at risk to heal in positions that limit full shoulder function, or are at risk of not healing which causes significant pain with attempts at using the arm.
- If you have sustained a clavicle injury, it is best to seek consultation with a orthopaedic specialist to review the nature of the injury and determine the best course of treatment in order to maximize your outcome from this very common injury.
Wonderful beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear concept
constantly i used to read smaller content that as well clear their motive, and that is also happening with this piece of writing which I am reading at this time.|
Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Very useful information specially the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Great blog here! Additionally your website loads up very fast! What web host are you the usage of? Can I am getting your affiliate hyperlink in your host? I want my website loaded up as fast as yours lol
There is noticeably a lot to know about this. I think you made certain nice points in features also.
Great ¡V I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task..
I have to show my thanks to the writer for bailing me out of such a challenge. Because of browsing throughout the the net and meeting ways which are not powerful, I figured my entire life was over. Living devoid of the answers to the issues you’ve solved through your site is a serious case, and those that could have negatively affected my entire career if I hadn’t noticed the blog. Your understanding and kindness in playing with all the pieces was useful. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had not discovered such a solution like this. I can also at this moment look ahead to my future. Thanks so much for your high quality and sensible help. I will not think twice to refer your web site to any person who needs guidelines on this situation.
Very rapidly this web site will be famous among all blogging and site-building people, due to it’s nice posts|
very nice publish, i definitely love this website, binkeris carry on it
Hey there, You’ve performed a fantastic job. I’ll certainly digg it and individually recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this web site.|
Because the admin of this web site is working, no uncertainty very quickly it will be well-known, due to its feature contents.|
First of all I would like to say awesome blog! I had a quick question that I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to find out how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before writing. I have had a tough time clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out there. I truly do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or hints? Kudos!|
This website truly has all the information I needed concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask. |
Thanks for your tips mikelrids. One thing I’ve got noticed is that often banks and also financial institutions understand the spending behavior of consumers and as well understand that most of the people max out their cards around the breaks. They sensibly take advantage of this kind of fact and commence flooding ones inbox and snail-mail box by using hundreds of no-interest APR credit card offers shortly when the holiday season ends. Knowing that when you are like 98% of American general public, you’ll get at the opportunity to consolidate consumer credit card debt and switch balances for 0 interest rates credit cards.
I have read some excellent stuff here. Definitely price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much attempt you set to create one of these fantastic informative web site.|
Thank you for any other informative web site. The place else could I am getting that kind of info written in such a perfect manner? I’ve a venture that I’m simply now working on, and I have been on the look out for such info.
I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was great. I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
It’s amazing to pay a visit this web site and reading the views of all colleagues on the topic of this piece of writing, while I am also zealous of getting know-how.|
If some one wishes to be updated with latest technologies therefore he must be go to see this website and be up to date daily.|
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one today..